Winding down

Here we are...2008 is winding down, and baseball is at it's slowest. No news, except that the Dodgers and Mets are purportedly discussing an Andruw Jones deal. Me? I'd take him if the Dodgers would eat most of his salary. Why not? What's the upside? Huge. Downside? A centerfielder who can field and whiffs a lot. Been there already, haven't we? Rumor has it that he's lost about twenty pounds this offseason and wants to prove himself. Of course he does...it's another contract year. I'd rather have Adam Dunn. Have I mentioned that?

So, anyway, 2008 is slogging to a close. What a year it has been. A decent baseball year for us, certainly (if you can short memory the playoffs) and a wild ride otherwise. There's the economy -- do I believe what I read or what I see? The stores SEEM busy when I go to them. The freeways are still jam packed with cars, regardless of gas prices. Hotels and airlines still take advantage of the fact that I HAVE to travel. I expect 2009 to be another year of doom and gloom (at least it'll be reported that way) for the economy.

Stores closing left and right. Did anyone notice that a lot of stores closed back when the economy was good? It's called "bad management" and it is not exclusive to down economy. Linens N Things took the big shit because they weren't very good at what they did. The automotive industry is circling the bowl because they didn't believe that this could happen to them (again -- see short memory.) So, instead of bailouts and rewarding bad (stupid) behavior...how about just doing things better? That's a novel approach, huh? Improvement instead of bailout.

Ah. It'll never change. Change is hard and we live in an "easy button" kind of world. Just ask Circuit City. Oops. There goes another one.

I'm sure the president elect will change everything. Maybe we can adopt the Canadian health care system. I'm sure the Canadians would appreciate that...since they all come here to avoid the long wait and poor treatment. I tried to ask a Canadian about that last time I was there but he was too sick to answer.

More than all that stuff -- it was a year of life and death, gain and loss. Like all years are. Which does not make it easier. My heart broke a hundred times this year for little Courtney -- a beautiful baby that I never even got to know, except through pictures and speaking with her father. On the flip side, baby Kendall is a beautiful little girl who is blessed to have such a loving family -- and my prayer for her is simple: health and happiness. What else is there?

I'm ready to close the book on 2008. It has been a tiring year. I am looking forward to 2009 with great anticipation. As always, I am determined to hit this year running (figuratively) and live it well. My resolution list? Maybe tomorrow. For now, suffice to say that I'm done reflecting on what is past and starting to consider all that is good in the future.

Sherm